MyHeritage Launched DNA Quest

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MyHeritage announced that they have launched a pro bono initiative called DNA Quest. The purpose of DNA Quest is to help adoptees and their birth families to find each other.

According to MyHeritage, more than 7 million Americans are adopted, and many are searching for their biological parents or siblings. Every year, some adoptees and their biological relatives pass away, missing the chance to reunite. This searching is very time-sensitive. MyHeritage believers that everyone should be able to access the valuable technology of genetic testing.

MyHeritage will give out 15,000 MyHeritage DNA kits, for free, with free shipping, to people who are eligible to participate in DNA Quest. Participation is open to adoptees seeking to find their biological family members, or anyone who is looking for a child they had placed for adoption years ago. Preference will be given to people who are not able to afford genetic testing, and to those who apply first.

The first phase of the DNA Quest initiative is open to U.S. residents, involving adoptions that took place in the U.S. MyHeritage says that additional phase may be considered in the future based on the success of the first phase. Future phases may include other countries as well as additional circumstances, such as children of sperm donors and non-paternity events.

Adoptees and family members searching for their biological relatives can apply for a free MyHeritage DNA kit at DNAQuest.org through April 30, 2018. Participants will be selected, and their free DNA kits will be shipped to them by the end of May 2018. Results are expected as early as July 2018.

DNA Quest is an expansion of another successful MyHeritage pro bono project to reunite adoptees from Israeli Yemenite community with their biological families. In that ongoing project, MyHeritage has contributed 1,200 DNA kits for free, provided professional emotional support, and facilitated successful reunions between adoptees and their biological siblings.

MyHeritage has a FAQ page that you can read for more information about DNA Quest. To participate, you must be above the age of 18, where the adoption took place in the USA, and reside in the USA. If you are not selected to participate, you will be notified by email and entered into a waiting list.

Those who are selected to participate in DNA Quest will receive free MyHeritage DNA kits in the mail (with free shipping). All DNA features will be free: DNA Matching, Ethnicity Estimates, contacting matches, viewing family trees, Chromosome Browser, shared ancestral surnames, etc. MyHeritage subscriptions for accessing historical records, Record Matches, etc. will not be provided for free.